D.J. has a new favorite coach

Remember earlier this season when I used the swap tool to illustrate what a great start of the season Raymond Felton was off to in the Big Apple? If not, here’s the refresher: Ray and D.J. – Early Season Check-In. At that time, Ray was kicking butt and taking names – but he has kind of slowed down. And D.J. has done the opposite:

Just like Ray’s early season hot streak had to slow down, D.J. probably isn’t quite as good as he has been performing since Silas took over – but it is certainly nice to see.

Just a couple of extra numbers about D.J. Augustin since Paul Silas took the coaching reins in Charlotte:
-He is shooting 47% from the field for Silas, after 42% under Larry Brown this year
-D.J. is making 41% of his threes now, 35% earlier
-While shooting so much more effectively, D.J. is also scoring even more frequently, putting up about 28 points per 100 team possessions for Silas – that number was 19 under LB
-D.J.’s assists per 100 possessions has also gone up, despite the increase in scoring: 10.5 assists per 100 poss after 9.2 prior
-Despite the heavier workload, turnovers are actually down per 100 possessions, from 2.5 to 2.4

Just a few numbers to help quantify the improved performance everyone’s eyes have seen. D.J.’s performance is one of the things you’ll hear me discuss with James Hamlin on Bobcats radio Tuesday and Wednesday night during halftime of the Bobcats games. Part one of the discussion will air at half time of Tuesday’s game against Sacramento, with a 10pm eastern tipoff. Part two will follow the next night, at halftime of the Phoenix game, a 9pm eastern tipoff. I hope you’ll tune in your radio and check it out.